Artist: The Toy Guns. Title: Bozo EP

From the opening notes of the first track - 'Bozo' The Toy Guns grab you, throw you around like a rag doll and deposit you down on the dance floor, toes tapping, feet moving and limbs flailing. The Toy guns belong in the same group of up and coming bands such as The Coral, The Bees, Sinister Footwear et al that have embraced the past and want to be thought of like their musical heroes as true musicians.

Unlike a lot of bands The Toy Guns have such strong hook laden verses that the choruses are almost a respite whilst you wait for the hooks to come back relentlessly. Be it in the busy bass line of the title track 'Bozo', or the Zappa / Beefheart influenced lead guitar line of 'Going Mobile.' Always poppy at times the Toy Guns remind me of The Clash flirting with punk white boy cod reggae and at others they rock such as the final track 'Movin' On' which is reminiscent of The Jesus and Mary Chain or The Stooges.

I haven't seen The Toy Guns live but within 2 minutes of listening you want to be in a sweaty club, drinking Jack Daniels and dancing with a beautiful partner.

Let the good times roll, and to think parents these days think that toy guns promote violence - dancing more like

Muhammad Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay

As you get older, you start to believe that you've heard it all before, and that the world of music has little to offer that you've never heard before. And then you discover something marvelous like Muhammad Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay. I've got Frank LaRosa's amazing Vinyl Museum (www.franklarosa.com) to thank for uncovering this gem (more on Franks site later). Ali Vs Mr. Tooth Decay is an audio warning on the evils of sugar and the seemingly divine qualities of Fluoride. Aided by his 'gang', (a bunch of punk kids), and the mystical 'Brother St.John'. Ali's crusade leads him to confront Frank Sinatra (no less) as he tries to peddle ice cream to the kids. Armed with his 'Giant Toothbrush' Ali finally enters the ring to do battle with his Nemesis Mr Tooth Decay and his side-kick, the hyper-active Sugar Cuba, with a poetic commentary from the legendary Howard Cosell. After the bout Ali and his Anti-Plaque Posse mooch off to Brother St. John's organic garden to eat fruit.In retrospect, Ali probably should have worried less about the effects of sugar on his teeth than the effects of being punched repeatedly on his head. Then there's "Ali's Theme". A rousing song with absolutely NOTHING to do with teeth, in which Ali rewrites American history Forrest Gump style. At this point you might think I'm making this up, but I-shit-you-not, it's all true. You can hear it for yourself, in super fast Realplayer format right HERE.

While you're there check out some of the other treats on offer at this wonderful site. My fave's include:
· Tony Bennet singing 'Eleanor Rigby' like Christopher Walken
· Evel Knievel's moving poem 'Why?' (why? "Because broken bones heal and chicks dig scars")
· The Brady Bunch rocking out on 'Drummer Man' (and you can't miss 'Candy Sugar Shoppe' (Oi!Ali!!)) and them teaching The Beatles a thing or two about pop with their version of 'Love Me Do' )
· The National Gallery - surely a Great Lost Band
· Polka Disco - oh no!
· Elephants Memory's fast food funk -hot dog!
· Fonzie Fonzie He's Our Man - oh happy days!
Plus tons of Moog, Hammond, Ted Heath jazzin up the greats and more. Enjoy. - JC